Aging Parents and The Ugly Realities of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s affects over 25 million seniors, mainly over 65, worldwide. It is the most common form of dementia. It is a terminal and progressive disease with no cure though sufferers usually don’t die of this disease. The brain is degenerating where neurons and synapses that are key areas of the brain are damaged.

Sufferers usually do not suffer stress but it takes a toll on caregivers to see aging relatives degenerating and behaving helplessly and demanding care like a baby as it progresses.  This disease causes sufferers to lose their language skills, lose intellectual capacities, change their behavior, lose certain everyday survival skills and lose their memory.

In the early stages, what is thought as a normal aging process may be symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Memory loss particularly short-term memory, loss of enthusiasm for life and cognitive impairment may be the early signs. They may forget to prepare meals or go the wrong direction. This may continue without caregivers or spouse noticing the symptoms or just thinking those are aging problems.

It will progress to clumsiness, language difficulties, confusion and inability to do simple things. They may not recognize you or their surroundings, go into depression and in the end stage, bed ridden and unable to function normally including bathing and feeding.

Without much certainty of the future and the life expectancy of a sufferer, caregivers could go through great stress. Diana Beam, Founder of Keeping in Touch Solutions, is passionate about helping families and is actively participating in the care of Alzheimer’s suffering seniors and actively finding ways to help caregivers get the many unanswered questions.

She said having awareness of the problems and improving care for sufferers in our nation will help relief the stress that caregivers have to go through each day. Imagine 1 in 6 seniors may suffer from Alzheimer. If 5 of your friends are OK, it might be you…. a food for thought!

The sad truth is, there is no cure. There are drugs to manage behavioral and psychiatric problems like anti-depressants and anti-psychotic medications and another to slow down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. But they bring many serious side effects.

Families have no answers from medical professionals when it comes to a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Many concerned caregivers and relatives are asking if these are absolutes and have searched for answers in home remedy and natural medicine.

According to research done by UK Alzheimer’s Society, patients of Alzheimer’s disease have four times the normal amount of aluminum in the nerve cells of their brain. Exposure to aluminum may contribute to speech and memory problems, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease. Aluminum is everywhere in our environment. It is found in our water but there are ways to reduce the amount of exposures.  Most deodorants, cookware, bleached flour, baking powders, antacids, foil, table salt, canned food and even parmesan and grated cheeses contain aluminum.

Since there is no cure for the disease, every information that can reduce and eliminate the disease is worthy of attention. As caregivers or relatives to Alzheimer’s sufferer, we know there are talks about it being a hereditary disease. Instead of having fear, let’s take some precaution and take care of our own body and wellbeing while we care for our aging parents.

Natural remedies such as gingko biloba can help improve memory loss, better brain function, blood flow and depression. Inhaling and diffusing essential oils are known to have positive effects on our body and brain. Lavender, lemon and sage essential oils are known to help mood swings, promote calmness and better sleep. Families who used these oils have seen significant reduction in disturbed sleep and experienced more calmness.

Caring for aging parents, especially one with Alzheimer’s disease brings about much stress and uncertainties. We have to remember to take care of our well being while caring for them.

A daily check-in call could be the lifeline, the joy you give someone that makes the biggest difference in their perception of what old age is like.

Contact me at 317-480-1038 today. Let’s make a difference together.

I’m Diana Beam, Founder of Keeping in Touch Solutions. It is my heartfelt desire for every person to live a happy and healthy life in the place they call home, no matter what their age. You can’t put a price on peace of mind for your parents and yourself. It’s priceless . . . and significant.

For that reason, the goal of every Keeping In Touch Solutions program is to provide a caring connection and service that both the elderly and their caregivers can rely on to make living that good life easier.